Skip to main content

Review: Marikit and the Ocean of Stars

By

Marikit and the Ocean of Stars
By Caris Avendaño Cruz
New York: Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2022. Fiction. 320 pgs.

Marikit and her mother have not truly celebrated anything since the loss of her father and brother to the sea three years ago, but as Marikit's tenth birthday approaches she wants to feel beautiful and special on her big day. She asks her mother for a new blue dress, but she is devastated to receive another hand-me-down. However, she soon discovers that not all is as it seems when it is revealed the Marikit's mother is a Diwata--a fairy--and the dress is a map to help Marikit on the journey she must take as a halfling through the magical world of the Engkantos in order to escape the sinister shadows now chasing her.

Marikit's journey will appeal to those interested in mythological stories for its rich discussions of Filipino folklore and fairy tales. Beyond the mythology, readers will also learn of Filipino foods, culture, and language. Each chapter is opened with a Filipino word, defined within the context of Marikit's story.  As she travels through the enchanted lands, Marikit learns the importance of family, friendship, and keeping promises, and she learns how to look past material wealth or beauty. A good choice to discuss how we are all "learning along the way."
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Review: The Factory

By
The Factory By Catherine Egan New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2025. Fiction. 306 pages.  Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle has been invited to join the Factory, a secretive research facility in the desert which ostensibly extracts renewable energy from the electromagnetic fields of its young recruits. But Asher soon realizes something sinister is going on. Kids are getting sick. The adults who run the Factory seem to be keeping secrets. And the extraction process is not only painful and exhausting, but existentially troubling. Asher makes a handful of new friends who help him with an investigation that turns into a resistance, which turns into...a cliffhanger! The Factory is a page-turning sci-fi with multidimensional characters, an intriguing plot, and refreshingly straight-forward writing. Egan weaves in detail about climate crises and social unrest, making the story's dystopian setting feel rich and plausible. With its sophisticated themes and accessible storytelling, I would recomm...
Post a Comment
Read more

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

By
KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...
Post a Comment
Read more

Review: Finding Lost

By
Finding Lost By Holly Goldberg Sloan New York: Rocky Pond Books, 2025. Fiction. 208 pages. Middle schooler Cordy, along with her mom and little brother, Geno, are still learning how to adjust to their life after “The Accident,” a tragic boating accident that cost their father’s life. When Cordy is walking home from school one day, she finds a little stray dog who the family nicknames Lost, and as he joins their family, he helps them rediscover all of the beauty that life has to offer. Holly Goldberg Sloane delivers a heart-warming and poignant novel about loss, family, and perseverance. This was a well-written novel that could appeal to a wide range of readers. Any middle schooler will be able to relate to Cordy’s experience of dealing with change, and those who have experienced a similar loss will be sure to find solace in this beautiful story.
Post a Comment
Read more